WORCESTER — UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester is stepping up efforts to prevent nurses from tuning out monitor warning alarms following the death of a patient whose alarms signaling a fast heart rate and potential breathing problems went unanswered for nearly an hour.

The 60-year-old man died in August 2010, but the death was only reported to the state in the spring.

Officials say the death may be the result of so-called "alarm fatigue." It was the second such death at the hospital in four years.

The state cited various violations by the hospital, including not responding to alarms "in a timely manner."

The Boston Globe reports that hospital officials refused comment on the latest death, but assured the state Public Health Department that it is taking steps to improve care.